Adventures in Democracy
In January, the parents of Carroll County (Md.) Board of Education candidate Draper Phelps, 28, obtained a protective stay-away order against their son, marking the third consecutive year they felt they needed one. (Phelps lost in the February primary.) In February, at a polling place in Chicago’s 42nd Ward (according to a Chicago Tribune report),…
City council set to vote on possible Sonics-Ford Center contract
The Oklahoma City Council is slated to vote Tuesday morning on the terms of a long-term contract with the SuperSonics to play basketball at the Ford Center. Among the key elements of the contract proposal are: 15-year lease with five renewal terms of three years each Sonics have exclusive rights to sell the name of…
Least Competent Criminals
Krystal Evans, 26, and Denise McClure, 24, rifled through packages on a DHL delivery truck in December in Crescent City, Calif., looking for their urine samples headed for the lab because they were certain theirs would test positive, which would have meant their return to jail. The driver summoned police, and the women were arrested…
Sounds Familiar
Like a Paul Simon song: Anthony Raspolic reported a break-in in the wee hours of Jan. 1 in his apartment in Durant, Okla. He told police that he was in bed with his girlfriend, but got up and left the room, and by the time he returned, someone had taken his place. (The man scurried…
Grizzly Tales: Dr. Moribundus
2000 Nope, “Grizzly Tales” is not about bears, but scary stories. But it turns out they’re not at all grizzly, either. “Grizzly Tales: Dr. Moribundus” is a collection of six episodes of the 2000 British TV series for children. In packaging and presentation, it would have you believe that it’s a toned-down “Tales from…
The Continuing Crisis
Registered sex offender Jason Lee, 28, was arrested in Cincinnati in February and charged with several counts of deception for his seemingly benevolent acts of posting bond for two female strangers who had been arrested. Later, according to police, he had demanded sex and drugs from the women as payback, and a prosecutor said Lee…
News That Sounds Like a Joke
In January just after police in Tyler, Texas, took Christopher McCuin, 25, into custody on suspicion of killing and eating parts of his girlfriend (an ear was found on the stove), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent the sheriff a fax demanding that McCuin receive only a vegetarian diet, suggesting that too much…
Young Liars #1
Vertigo One can’t be sure exactly where writer/artist David Lapham (“Stray Bullets,” “Silverfish”) is going with his latest creation, “Young Liars,” but teases you just enough that’ll you want to see. Coming with a suggested sound track, the story kicks off via the POV of a 21-year-old would-be rock guitarist named Danny, who’s head-over-heels for…
Oklahoma National Guard’s Iraq mission to continue
Gen. David Petraeus’ statements before a U.S. Senate hearing this week will have little immediate effect on Oklahoma National Guard soldiers serving in Iraq, according to the unit’s commander in Baghdad. Brig. Gen. Myles Deering said his soldiers are conducting their business as usual as it may be in an area hit frequently with rocket…
Sonics owners’ intentions to move revealed in e-mail messages
Seattle SuperSonics team owners actively discussed moving the team to Oklahoma City shortly after purchasing the franchise in 2006, contrary to statements made by the owners and Oklahoma City officials, according to a court document filed in New York federal court. The city of Seattle is suing the ownership team, Professional Basketball Club LLC, to…
There Will Be Blood
2007 As the misanthropic oilman in “There Will Be Blood,” Daniel Day-Lewis turns in a performance close to being literally spellbinding, burning with a presence ferocious enough to singe the corners of the screen. It’s an extraordinary portrayal, but it ‘s only one aspect of a riveting film experience. Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson has only…
Sesame Street: Dinosaurs!
2008Toddlers of today would rather watch “SpongeBob SquarePants” than “Sesame Street,” although they might change their mind if introduced to the “Dinosaurs!” DVD. Not an actual “Sesame Street” episode, but rather 40 minutes of bits culled from various episodes featuring dinosaurs, the disc includes the show’s standard mix of live, filmed and animated segments to…
Enchanted
its, so be it. In this pleasant Disney send-up of Disney, she delivers a star-making performance that helps transform a so-so spoof into something more. Adams portrays the sweet and beautiful Giselle, a literally animated princess who is pushed out of her fairy-tale existence by a wicked queen (Susan Sarandon). Giselle winds up in the…
Risinger deserves more notice as Okie women’s baseball great
Oklahoma has long been known for producing its fair share of exceptional baseball talent. The list of diamond heroes is lengthy and most impressive, including: ” Bullet Joe Rogan, ” Lloyd and Paul Waner, ” Mickey Mantle, ” Johnny Bench and ” Earlene Risinger. You don’t remember Earlene “Beans” Risinger, the hard-throwing hurler from Hess?…
D.A. investigation into Porter reveals thought process of school board members
According to board member Gail Vines in Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater’s investigation report, former Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent John Q. Porter tried to create positions or grant raises outside board involvement from “day one.” The board explained to him the procedures and policies “numerous” times, which she assumed he understood but apparently…
Leatherheads
Reviewer’s grade: C- George Clooney stars as Dodge Connelly, an aging pro football player. After his team goes bankrupt, he recruits college football phenomenon and war hero Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski). Normally, a bright college player in 1925 would never go pro since football is for lunkheads, but Connelly throws a pile of cash his…
Fajita, Fujita; what’s the difference?
For a while, a tornado that damaged homes, buildings and power lines in the north metro last week was looking a lot more delicious than dangerous. An apparently hungry NewsOK.com reporter filed a next-day weather article updating Internet readers about damage caused by tornadoes that moved through the area on March 31. In the story,…
Latest Religious Messages
Ajinbayo Akinsiku’s heavily abridged version of the Bible, in the Japanese graphic “manga” style, was recently published in the United States, with the goal of making Jesus more “accessible” to a younger, religion-indifferent generation. Quirky, illustration-rich manga presents biblical philosophy as action scenes using contemporary dialogue, according to a February New York Times review. In…
Oklahoma Friendly’ juried exhibit opens
Last week, the Oklahoma Art Guild celebrated the opening of “Oklahoma Friendly 2008,” a juried exhibition of work submitted from recognized artists nationwide. The artwork was selected from 75 artists from 14 states, representing all media, two- and three-dimensional. The result is located in Oklahoma City’s progressive art venue, Istvan Gallery, 1218 N. Western. Art…
Supporters rally for embattled Kern at Capitol
On April 2, the state Capitol was crammed with hundreds of people, standing shoulder to shoulder, many wearing clothing depicting religious or patriotic symbols, for what was billed as the “Rally for Sally,” organized by national lobbying group Concerned Women for America. In her now-famous rant, Sally Kern railed that homosexuality is “the death knell…
Responsible land use, urban development are subjects of new organization
After decades of “suburban sprawl,” Oklahoma City is seeing renewed interest in urban development. But this urban growth brings up land use and development issues, subjects some in the industry say are best dealt with outside the political arena. This is the idea behind the formation of ULI Oklahoma, part of the Urban Land Institute,…
Biting the Apple’ erotic art show takes inspiration from ‘Alice in Wonderland’
Now in its 17th year at the Individual Artists of Oklahoma Gallery, “Biting the Apple” has become one of the biggest art events in Oklahoma City, and 2008’s theme of “Erotica in Wonderland” promises to transform the gallery into a fantastic realm of imagination, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” A more traditional…
Big Read’ seeking book lovers for discussion
As part of “The Big Read,” a nationwide program that encourages literary reading among adults, the Pioneer Library System will host “Trends in Contemporary Chicano/a Literature with Armando Celayo” ” part of the program’s local lecture series ” at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Nancy Mergler Library of the University of Oklahoma Honors College in…
Alien Nation: Ultimate Movie Collection
1994-1997Although Fox only aired “Alien Nation” for one season in 1989, fans cried loud enough that the story continued in five post-cancellation TV movies in the mid-Nineties, now housed across two discs as “Alien Nation: Ultimate Movie Collection.” It’s impossible not to view any of them as a racial allegory, as eggheaded aliens keen on…
The Telephone Gambit: Chasing Alexander Graham Bell’s Secret – Seth Shulman
W.W. Norton & Co. Hold the phone “? what do you mean Alexander Graham Bell didn’t invent it? Yep: What you learned in elementary school was a flat-out lie, according to journalist Seth Shulman. His new book, “The Telephone Gambit: Chasing Alexander Graham Bell’s Secret,” exposes how the inventor swiped the core idea from one…
Charlie Wilson’s War
2007In the Eighties, Texas congressman Charlie Wilson quietly funded a covert CIA operation to equip Afghanistan with missile launchers and other weapons to help them fight the invading Soviets. Few people in the U.S. government even knew about it, despite about a billion dollars being funneled into the effort. This incredible but true story is…
Voters have chance to pick state’s official rock song
Oklahoma has always rocked ” just never officially. But a resolution expected to pass through the state Legislature would give the public the power to strike the right chord and nominate an official state rock ‘n’ roll song. If House Concurrent Resolution 1047 passes, a “panel of experts” ” appointed by Gov. Brad Henry, Capitol…
Shine a Light
Reviewer’s grade: B If you’re a Rolling Stones fan “? and, really, how could you not be? “? prepare to be dazzled. In “Shine a Light,” director Martin Scorsese uses his filmmaking acumen to showcase arguably the world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band. The movie chronicles a pair of 2006 Stones performances at New York’s…
Panic at the Disco – Pretty. Odd.
Fueled by RamenDespite having a near-infantile musical and lyrical vocabulary, Panic at the Disco decided to attempt a thematic rock ‘n’ roll epic with its second release, “Pretty. Odd.” There is nothing pretty about “Pretty. Odd.,” which isn’t really that odd at all’ it’s just pretentious and pandering to an audience that couldn’t name a…
Rock-fueled garage sale combines shopping with local indie rock
Aside from the live music from half a dozen local bands, the cash bar and the skull-and-bones cupcakes, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Garage Sale isn’t that much different than any other garage sale … unless one counts the fact that it doesn’t take place in a garage. Instead, it’s at the concert venue The Conservatory,…
The Ruins
MsoNormal style=”MARGIN: auto 0in”>Reviewer’s grade: C+ Four college kids head are on vacation in the Yucatan when they hear about an adventure they can’t refuse: uncharted Mayan ruins in the middle of the Mexican jungle “? sign me up! The group is led by a squirrely haired German boy (Joe Anderson, “Across the Universe”) whose…
Oklahoma representative’s English-only plea has Farsi roots
Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, recently proposed an amendment to a Senate bill, asking for Oklahoma to quit providing any state services in foreign languages. Just what does that mean? Well, according to Terrill, it means not having to worry about providing driver’s license testing in other languages. It seems that would include Persian, also known…
Benefit concert slated for Blue Door repairs
When a recent building inspection of The Blue Door raised concerns about those same walls, scores of dedicated musicians lined up to help shore up the humble venue with a benefit concert this Saturday. “We have to get a lot of things done. We’re going in front of the zoning commission, and you never know…
Oklahoma City Theatre Company’s ‘Woolf’ boasts strong performances
Perhaps the most fascinating thing about “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” “? considered Edward Albee’s definitive masterpiece “? is how impossible it is to summarize. The audience does not follow a plot so much as it becomes immersed in the intricacies of truth and illusion. Drinks are made and downed, words become vicious weapons, and…
Museum gets kids, parents together for nature games
The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 2401 Chautauqua in Norman, presents “Family Night Out: Nature Game Night,” from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday. Experience the stimulation of playing in the fresh air of the great outdoors instead of being cooped up in the stale living room. The event features a kid-friendly dinner “…
Everclear – The Vegas Years
CapitolIf the recession is keeping you from sitting at a blackjack table in Vegas with a vodka tonic, make do at home with a shot of Everclear. The Nineties alt-rock hitmakers are back with “The Vegas Years.” This isn’t an album proper from band leader Art Alexakis and company, but a holdover comprised solely of…
Oklahoma State student fights to remain board membership over $25-a-day pay
The head of the journalism school at Oklahoma State University is attempting to remove a college student from a governing board over a measly $25-per-day dispute. According to a story written by the Student Press Law Center, OSU J-school director Tom Weir sent a letter to Jessie Markovetz telling her she would have to leave…
Romulus, My Father
Reviewer’s grade: A- Screening at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art on Friday through Sunday, this Australian film is about a man living on the poverty line (Eric Bana), his wife (Franka Potente) and their son, Rai (Kodi Smit-McPhee), through whose eyes we interpret the action. Rai is his mom’s darling, but a desire to…
Cultural Diversity
In October, the government of Singapore, anxious about the city’s declining birth rate, began teaching its high school polytechnic students in formal courses on how to flirt. Said Isabel, 18: “My teacher said if a guy looks into my eyes for more than five seconds, it could mean that he is attracted to me, and…
Incentive program may be used to attract Sonics talent
A state program that has helped hundreds of companies retain more than half a billion dollars in tax rebates for creating jobs in Oklahoma may be used to lure pro basketball stars like Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant to the state. But some lawmakers have serious questions about the proposal. In 1993, the state enacted…
Rain check
So far Oklahoma has escaped the major economic downturn faced in many areas of the country because of the foreclosure and banking crisis, but state revenues are down because of recent tax cuts. Government leaders should prepare for the worst. The state should not hesitate to use its $571 million “rainy day fund” as leaders…
Former spouse of Oklahoma Olympian disappears
Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller knows all about the public eye, but her ex-husband has disappeared from sight after abruptly closing his eye surgery center in Washington state, The Associated Press reported. Ex-hubby Christopher B. Phillips is being investigated after appointments were canceled without patients being notified and he closed the Lomas Eye Care Center in…
Nim’s Island
Reviewer’s grade: B Jodie Foster flashes back to her days as a Disney child star “? although this time Abagail Breslin (“Little Miss Sunshine”) is the kid and Foster is the hapless adult “? in this comfortable adventure yarn for tween girls. Foster is the nervous author of a series of adventure stories and Gerard…
The B-52’s – Funplex
AstralwerksIt’s been nearly 16 years since the quirky pop-synth stars have put out a studio album, but The B-52’s haven’t spent the years with ears shut. The band’s latest, “Funplex,” is a likable assortment of electro-dance songs that are easily enjoyable for old fans and unfamiliar audiences. “Ultraviolet” is more of the vintage B-52’s sound’…
The Adventures of Daniel Boom aka Loud Boy: Sound Off! – D.J. Steinberg and Brian Smith
Grosset & Dunlap A new series of graphic novels aimed at ages 9 to 12 kicks off with “The Adventures of Daniel Boom aka Loud Boy: Sound Off!,” written by animation producer D.J. Steinberg and illustrated by Brian Smith. Essentially an origin tale, the book introduces us to Daniel Boom, who was born with “no…
Performing porcelain
Irish director-playwright Paul Walker’s production of “Ladies & Gents” opened for a March run in New York City 29 blocks north of Broadway in a public restroom. According to an Associated Press report, the entire play takes place among the porcelain in a bathroom in Central Park, portraying “the seedy underside of 1950s Dublin,” with…
Wasting energy
You can always tell an election year. Whether it’s in the state capital or Washington, politicians find someone to blame for whatever the current crisis is. Nationally, Republicans and Democrats up for re-election are criticizing America’s oil and gas companies because they are profitable, or ” more correctly ” too profitable! Call me crazy, but…
